Kochi: When World Alzheimer's Day is observed on Thursday, the increasing rate of Alzheimer’s and dementia among people aged more than 65 is a major concern for Kerala. At present, there are about 1.9 lakh patients with Alzheimer’s in Kerala and with an aging population the number is going to increase rapidly.
As per the Dementia Report India 2010 by the Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders Society of India (ARDSI), it is estimated that by 2026, the number of older people with dementia in Kerala will be around 2 lakh to 4 lakh.
According to psychologists, the emotional trauma caused by the patients’ unmanageable behaviour and delusions, cause serious psychiatric problems to the caregivers.
“Nearly 70 percent of risk of Alzheimer’s disease is genetic. Past incidents of head injuries, psychiatric illnesses like depression, diseases like hypertension increases the risk of Alzheimer. Education and an active lifestyle can protect against the disease,” said Dr. T.R John, consultant psychiatrist, Aster Medcity, Kochi.
Most common early symptom of the disease is short term memory loss when there is difficulty in remembering recent events. Since the memory for older events are intact, the phase is often overlooked and is considered as a part of normal ageing.
“The emotional burnout of caregivers of the patient is often being neglected. They are at increased risk of depression and anxiety disorders. Support to the caregiver including medication is an important aspect of treatment. They should be given relaxation time on a daily basis to reduce stress,” added Dr. John.
The ARDSI with the support of state government has set up a full time centre for dementia patients at Edavanakakd in Ernakulam and two day care centres at Kunnamkulam in Thrissur.
“Though Social Justice Department has identified buildings in five districts to start more centres, they are not suited for the specific requirements of dementia patients. So we have requested to make necessary alterations,” said Major Gopalakrishnan, national coordinator of ARDSI.
